Coping
by perspicuity
Summary: The phone rings, the TV screams, and aliens are attacking the world. There is surprisingly little panic.


The phone rings, the TV screams, and aliens are attacking the world. There is surprisingly little panic.

Maybe that's a coping mechanism? Or do they just not notice? Mom still watches her soaps, Dad is still away on business, and the shop owners lack any concern. I mean, there was that one guy back in Threed, but he doesn't exactly count. Zombies don't count. I don't think they can count, either, now that I mention it.

I guess some people care when their towns are endangered. Or lives. Or parking spots (at least in Foursides). Maybe all they can do is continue with their lives and hope someone, somewhere might solve their problem. Maybe that's why everyone always high-fives me on the bus.

Paula definitely cares. She definitely has reason to care, because whenever something happens, chances are it's going to happen to her. Kidnapped by a cult? Check. Kidnapped by some hoity-toity executive? Check. She really has the short end of the stick when it comes to getting kidnapped.

Though there was that one time when we thought Jeff was going to take her place, but he had just gotten locked in a bathroom stall. It took him nearly three hours to get out for some reason. He claimed he didn't want to pay for "property damage," so he "refrained from resorting to bazooka blasts," but when has that ever stopped him before? Turns out he was just doing some upgrades on my phone for my birthday, which explains why we weren't able to call the fire department to help him.

Anyway, Paula cares, and she believes that everyone else cares, too. Late at night, when we can't sleep, she talks about how life will be once this is all over. (Or rather, she yells over Jeff's snoring. He rarely sleeps, but when he does, dang.)

"Do you think we'll be regarded as heroes? Will people appreciate what we've done?" She asks. She knows the answer before she says anything.

"Yeah."

I don't know that. Neither does she. But that doesn't mean anything; we're not doing this to be in newspapers or on Channel 10 Action News Now 5. We're saving the world because that's what we want to do. And it's fun. When we're not in mortal danger that is, which is surprisingly often. So it's mostly fun..

Then Jeff mumbles something in his sleep and we both laugh and Paula says goodnight and turns off the light. I know she's not asleep and won't be for several more hours, but she prefers the quiet after a while. I can't blame her. Sometimes I do too.

"I think so, too," she eventually says. That's when I know she's asleep, and I'm the only one still awake. Even Poo is out by now.

The silence is comforting. Not because of the silence; I hate the quiet. It reminds me of when I first started this adventure, when it was literally me against the world (or me against those kids at the arcade). I was afraid and didn't know what I was doing then. No, it's because I'm not alone any more.

"So you just lie awake and listen to me breathe? And you find that comforting? Ness, that's a little more than weird." Jeff would say. He laughed when I tried to explain how I felt when we were wondering around Foursides. "But I…think I understand."

Just yesterday he told me something similar, that he doesn't feel lonely when he stays up until sunrise anymore. I didn't have the heart to poke fun at him, because he was so genuine about it. Was I not genuine before? Maybe I just have trouble expressing my feelings vocally sometimes. Yeah, that's it.

Jeff says he's finally glad to have a family. After being ignored by his father for so long, he's happy to feel like he belongs somewhere.

"But what about those kids at Snow Wood? What about Tony?" I ask. Jeff mumbles something and looks away, embarrassed. He makes it too easy sometimes.

That's when he runs down to the beach, clumsily kicking sand and scraping his feet on seashells. Summers is our favorite place; it's where we finally became that prophesized Chosen Four. Whenever we get a chance, we come here to goof off, when the world isn't in immediate danger that is. Good thing today is one of those days.

Paula is wading in the ocean, trying to catch those little fish with her bare hands. Poo is sitting on a beach towel near the tide's edge, building sand castles that remind him of home. Jeff just tripped on a strand of seaweed. I kick off my sandals, take Poo's bucket from his hands, run to the water, and fil the bucket. I can't believe how heavy this thing is, but that's not going to stop me. Jeff will never know what hit him.

Without a single shred of grace, I toss the water (and also the bucket on accident) onto Jeff's head as he struggles to untangle himself.

The look he gives me is one of pure hatred.

I fall on the ground, laughing. Paula stops fishing, Poo stops building. Jeff stands up and grabs the bucket. Tears bubble at the corners of my eyes, and I attempt to wipe them away, only to find myself completely drenched.

Jeff has declared war.

I can hear Paula and Poo laughing, but then a splash and then silence. I turn and see Paula with her hand over her mouth and a dripping-wet prince. A large wave had crashed into the two of them, but Poo had taken the brunt of it. But his sandcastle, oh his poor, poor sandcastle. A tragedy. I remove my hat in a moment of silence.

But I'm still not going to let Jeff get away with that. When he isn't looking, I grab him by the waist and throw him over my shoulder. He seem shocked out of reaction, though it's not like I can blame him. Our height difference is staggering, but carrying his lanky noodle body isn't that big of a deal.

I'm able to carry him a few feet to the water's edge before tossing him in. A shriek, then nothing. I turn to Paula and shrug, but she's managed to drag Poo into the waves already. Jeff grabs my arm and pulls me under during my lapse of concentration.

When we both resurface, Paula is frantically splashing water in our direction. My only option is to splash back. Poo and Jeff join in, and by the time we're through, we're all hoarse from laughing so much.

I drag myself onto shore and collapse onto Poo's beach towel, the other three following shortly behind.

I'm definitely glad that I'm not alone anymore.

Poo is the first to catch his breath.

"When all of this is over, do you think we'll still do things like this?"

Paula doesn't say anything but gives a thumbs up as she watches the clouds roll by. Jeff laughs and struggles to sit up. I smile at a crab as it shuffles across the towel.

"I hope so," I say.

"No, Ness, you know so," Paula corrects. Jeff agrees.

"I'm glad that we were the Chosen Ones. I am honored to have met each of you." Poo nods, but Paula punches his shoulder.

The sky is a brilliant blue, and the ocean breeze tickles our skin. I look around, and notice we're the only ones on the beach. Maybe we should check the news, maybe we should see if something's wrong. But for right now, for these few moments, we're just kids. Today, this beach on the southern tip of Summers is our coping mechanism.

It's our turn to not panic, if only for a little while.

Because tomorrow, I know we'll be the heroes.

* * *

hello! Sorry if this doesn't make much sense, haha. It was mostly just me rambling. One of my favorite things about Earthbound is wondering what those kids during those moments of peace. Because, y'know, they are just kids, so of course they're going to goof off, even if they are the Chosen Four.

as always, thanks for reading!


End file.
